Christmas is just around the corner, so we believe that there are thousands of people who are surfing thru online stores right know. If you are also one of those who are looking for presents that could please their darling ones, then you should do this very carefully. Believe us, we say so for a reason. Have you heard that there were 13.1 million of users who become victims of identity theft last year. In addition, it is also known that almost 20 million of users were tricked into downloading malicious software, also known as malware, to their computers. In order to avoid that, you should try to keep in mind that this wonderful period of time can easily lead you to the money loss, privacy-related issues, serious infections and other problems. That’s why you should check these four methods that have been actively used by scammers last year. We believe that the knowledge about them will help you to stay safe this year..

1. Fake online shops, fake banks and similar fake sites

Fake websites were actively used for tricking people in 2013, so you can be sure that scammers will keep promoting them just like they did that last year. In order to spot the fake shop, hotel or other site, you should make sure that you keep your web browser up-to-date. Of course, you should also install a reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware in order to improve your protection. Finally, before you enter you credit card details, look what is said about the company and don’t fall for those deals that are too good to be true. For more information about shopping online and staying safe, read this post.

2. Christmas spam

Christmas spam, just like any other spam, has always been bothering PC users and leading them to various issues. If you received an email announcing about unbelievable contest, holiday sales or gift offers, you should be very careful with it. Please, double check the sender because downloading an infected attachment or clicking on infected link can lead you to various issues.

3. Unsecured public hotspots

Public hotsposts is one of the least expected methods that can be used for stealing people’s confidential data. No matter how hard it can be imagined, connecting to unsafe hotspots can reveal your credit card information and other sensitive data. In order to avoid this, you should avoid making payments when away from your home, work or other place that has protected hotspot.

4. Christmas malware campaigns

There is no surprise that the number of malware campaigns increases before and during Christmas. That’s natural because people spend more time while surfing thru the web. For protecting yourself and preventing infiltration of trojans, ransowmares and other viruses that could lead your feast to hell, you should install a reputable anti-spyware right away.

About the author

Alice Woods
- Likes to teach users about virus prevention

Alice Woods is the News Editor at 2-spyware. She has been sharing her knowledge and research data with 2spyware readers since 2014.